-
Archive of "Servant Evangelism" Category
Combining My Journals
Some of you know that I have been keeping (well, "keeping" is an overstatement) two separate web journals for some time now. The ridiculousness of this idea has finally dawned on me… I know, I am slow to catch on, but don’t forget that I’m from Indiana. Anyway, here is the full content (entries and comments) from coastlandblog.com. Coastlandblog has now been decommissioned, but I might write something in this category from time to time, on this site. With that in mind, I’ve added a "CoastlandBlog Archive" section and an "RSS" subscription button to the sidebar.
If you see something in here that impacts you or inspires a comment, I’ll certainly still see it and will be glad to engage in the dialogue.
Peace.
Thinking About Evangelism
“One thing that Christians and non-Christians have in common is that they are both very uncomfortable with evangelism.” I am not sure who gets credit for that quote, but it is a good one.
Most of my experience with evangelism confirms that notion. For me, it has often been awkward and unfruitful. That was just my end of it! Think about how uncomfortable my “targets” must have felt. My experience over the past year and half, living an Outflow life and practicing Servant Evangelism has created such a drastic shift in that paradigm that I cannot help but get excited about sharing it. It is a radically different view of everything – following Jesus, people who do not yet follow Jesus, church, the Gospel, evangelism, everything!
At the end of Conspiracy of Kindness, by Steve Sjogren, there is a list of 29 thoughts about evangelism. The book is fantastic but really, it is worth the cover price just to get this list. The items outline the base knowledge and expectations that a person carries into any attempt at evangelism. Imagine reading the list, learning each principle and then saying, “Okay, now that I’m thinking straight on this, I can start reaching people.” Does that make sense?
For example, point #20 is:
Because of irrational fears, the average evangelical Christian has no plans to participate actively in evangelism.
That is true, isn’t it? We are not exactly sure how it will happen, but we are sure that if we were to start talking to people about Jesus it would be painful and embarrassing. Many of us have anecdotal evidence to advance those fears. Those fears drive us deeper and deeper into a Christian culture that does not open itself to outsiders. That is exactly what I have done for many years of my Christian existence. I always made myself feel better by thinking that I would share my faith with someone if God “brought someone across my path.” If I hope anything can be accomplished in the whole realm of Christiandom, in my lifetime it is that we completely rid the universe of that stupid phrase, “bring someone across my path!” That thinking and praying is an enemy of the Great Commission. Jesus says, “Go…!” In other words, get yourself onto their path.
Another point on the list at the end of Conspiracy of Kindness is #7:
Church life, spent in the presence of Christians only, produces saints who are neither friendly nor openhearted to outsiders.
Yikes! I have to accept responsibility for that one too. Without even realizing it or wanting it, I used to have an aura of religion about me that kept people at a distance. Not too long ago, I put myself on a mission to read and reread the words of Jesus. I was not even out of Matthew before I noticed that Jesus seemed to relate the easiest with the types of people that I had the hardest time being around. I have written about some of my “Pharisee Attitudes” already.
A big shift in my thinking came as I began to change what I valued and measured when it comes to evangelism. If you define evangelism, presenting the Gospel to the point that a person either makes a commit to Jesus or begins attending your church then, yes. It is intimidating and it is very difficult to pull off within the context of your daily life. If I have to wait for opportunities to present the Gospel and actually walk someone through the process of conversion in order to get involved in evangelism, I won’t be able to do it very often at all. How often is the setting actually right for that level of conversation and interaction with people? I would say next to never if we are talking about strangers or folks we barely know. If I change what I am looking for in my approach to evangelism, all kinds of new doors and opportunities open to me.
1 Corinthians 3:5-8 “After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.” (New Living Translation)
I have been using this passage to renew my thinking about evangelism. Evangelism occurs within a process. Paul compares it to the growth of a plant – from seed planting, to watering and nurturing, ultimately to the growth of fruit. If only God makes it grow, then why should I worry about the particular place in the process I might hold? After all, who is Scott? Just get involved in some way! When I am not necessarily looking to take a person from zero to fully committed to Jesus, the stress melts away and I am free to get involved in the process.
My value and measurement for evangelism is not just about leading people to the point of “praying the prayer.” Now, I am just interested in scattering the seeds. The only way to get a harvest is to reap the fruit of the planted seeds. Sometimes, I discover that seeds have already been planted and my role is to water what is starting to grow. There have even been times of seemingly instant fruit – times that, I come along at the very end of this long process within a person’s life. My act of service or kindness is that last touch as God gives the increase.
If I look for simple ways to fling the seeds of God’s love and grace, there is never a shortage of opportunity.
The Kingdom of God is Like… Another South Africa Update
Jesus started so many stories by saying, “The kingdom of God is like…” This trip to South Africa has been an invitation to take part in one of those stories. I have come to a wonderful state of dependence since writing my last update from South Africa. Unless someone feeds me, I do not eat. Unless someone comes to get me, I have no way of getting around. Unless someone is willing to take me in, I have nowhere to sleep. Maybe that doesn’t sound so “wonderful” to you, but trust me, it has been perfect! Stress has been melting off my life since I landed here, nearly 3 weeks ago. I am learning to appreciate Jesus’ words about “take no thought…” If only I could learn to see my life so completely in his hands, as I have come to see it in the hands of my South African hosts.One amazing experience has been the Easter Camp with Fountain Vineyard. This was the twenty-third Easter these incredible folks have packed up trucks and trailers and cars to spend five days in tents and sleeping bags, come hellish heat or high water. They’ve refined the whole endeavor to quite a high art – the campsite is nothing but a school’s soccer stadium when they arrive, but by Thursday there is electricity, hot water, shelter from the elements and plenty of great food. Don’t get me wrong… it is certainly still camping, but they do all they can to make it comfortable. Nothing can burn away the masks and get us down to who we really are like sleeping outside in the rain, showering in the presence of guys you just met and sharing toilets with four hundred other people. It has been said that the only thing worse than having diarrhea is trying to have it quietly in a public bathroom. I concur.
Nothing could have prepared me for Easter Camp. What I mean to say is that no one could have described the sense of love, acceptance, belonging and community that I enjoyed this Easter. In fact, I wonder if it is even possible to understand until experienced… I felt as though I were literally living in the Kingdom of Heaven. There were no walls, no barriers, no hindrances – nothing to stand in the way of connecting with people – nothing to keep us from loving one another and being loved in return. I think Dave Pedersen is among the very few (very few!) genuine Apostles I have met, and his calm, compassionate nature reigned tangibly throughout the camp.I was the speaker for the evening meetings, Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night. I talked about our willingness to be broken open so that the life of Jesus within us can escape and touch the people around us. I
cannot describe the meetings any other way than to say that there was an impartation. Far beyond mental ascent to an idea, I could see people’s hearts opening and their spirits lunging to grab this concept and make it their own. God is up to something in South Africa! During the morning and evening meetings people were released from demonic oppression, people were physically healed, people received emotional recovery, some were filled with the Holy Spirit. It was the fullness of the Body of Christ at work and on display.I have also been in one of the world’s surfing capitals, Jeffrey’s Bay, and one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth, Knysna. In both places, God seemed to breathe fresh air into the rooms. People began to understand that Outflow Evangelism is something doable, practical and powerful. When we open ourselves to be used by God to do “small things” with “great love,” the world begins to change.
News from South Africa
In the words of the late, great theologian, Bruce Lee (Enter the Dragon)
It is like a finger pointing to the moon… don’t concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory!
Since March 29, I have been “the finger” in South Africa pointing to “the moon” of living in the Outflow. My prayer has been that people would not see me (the finger) but that they would be able to catch a glimpse of the true heavenly glory of flinging seeds of service, love, kindness and generosity. Lord, let Scott be forgotten and let Jesus be remembered!
As I type, I am completing the first leg of this trip. I’ll be flying out of Johannesburg (or JoBurg, as I am now authorized to call it) and landing in Port Elizabeth to spend Easter with the folks at Fountain Vineyard later today. I truly believe that God is up to something in South Africa!
On Saturday, March 31, I led an Outflow Mini-Conference at Valley Vineyard. The response was amazing! Not only did people really “get it,” but they were naturals at “doing it.” We went into a new housing community, still under construction, and gave away chocolate Easter eggs to demonstrate the kindness of God. During the morning discussion I was talking about the value of the seed and that when we shift our focus from getting people to “pray the prayer,” to simply flinging the seed miraculous things can happen. I had no idea how those words were about to be proven! The idea of giving something that people would like to have (chocolate eggs), for free was astounding to most of the people we met. One family asked the group who handed them Easter eggs if they could give their lives to Jesus right there in their home, or did they have to wait for church the next day… Sure, you can give your lives to Jesus right here! There were literally dozens of stories from that one afternoon of seed flinging. God is up to something in South Africa. The best part was when we came back to the church to share stories and discuss what we’d experienced. The room pulsed with energy and the presence of the Spirit. People were already moving beyond “Servant Evangelism” in their thinking and sharing ideas about getting back into that community in powerfully simple ways. My heart was singing with joy because it was pretty clear that “the finger” had not gotten in the way of the true heavenly glory of living spontaneous, Outflow lives.
The next day, Sunday April 1, I spoke at another great church, Hillside Vineyard. God’s presence was so heavy and tangible during worship, the tears poured from my eyes despite my efforts to look "put together" and like America’s official Outward-Focused Ambassador. It was, again, beyond my ability to describe. I have never known the kind of weight and burden (but in a good way) that I have experienced while talking to the people here. There seems to be such a spiritual imperative, such a now is the time mandate on this Outflow message. Gavin, the Team Leader from Valley Vineyard, said on Sunday night that he saw a picture of a giant fan, moved into position by the Holy Spirit. Then he saw the Church in South Africa taking fistfuls of seeds and flinging them into the rotating blades of the fan. The implication being that if we will generously, recklessly scatter the seeds we’ve been given, God will blow them in the right direction.
Of course, there has been plenty of fun too. Check out this picture of me petting one-and-a-half year old lion cubs… They would never let you do this in the US!
Thank God for MTV!
MTV leads the way in Reality TV. They invented the idea a bunch of years ago with a show that is still on the air, The Real World. One of their newest innovations is a reality show called, Juvies. I’m not a big fan of reality TV but this one really captured my attention. Sheryl and I had it on last night. I was stunned to discover that this show is recorded literally blocks from where I lived for 15 years! Any one reading this from Northwest Indiana will instantly recognize the abbreviation, LCJC, Lake County Juvenile Center. Can you believe that? MTV saw fit to film a show about juvenile delinquents in my old hometown. I am less than honored!
But let me explain why: It is not because I’m afraid this show will cast a false, negative shaddow on my old hood. It’s actually because I’m afraid it sheds glaring light on the local churches’ raging ineffectiveness at reaching into the lives of the teenagers that need Jesus. I need to add one more comment before going forward… I consider myself a part of that collective, ineffective local church. I was a pastor at a church just down the road from the set of "Juvies" for nearly 6 years and I didn’t have any influence with those kids. Even worse, I was a youth leader for 2 of those years and never made any connections or relationships at LCJC. I was always busy doing church stuff and to be completely honest, the kids “locked up” in juvie never even crossed my mind. God, forgive me!
I’m not out to point fingers at church leaders in Northwest Indiana – I know almost all of them and count each and every one a friend. We’re all compassionate, dedicated, servants of the Lord, but I know these leaders are just like I used to be… busy. My probing question is: Busy doing what?
During last night’s episode, I cried watching the two, featured kids go through the legal process. Both kids were from two-parent families and both kids were spending their first night behind bars. I guess the ideal situation would be that we reach kids before they get into trouble, but one particular scene broke my heart and inspired my thinking. At one point, the camera captured the entire “population” at a chapel service. As the Chaplain spoke, the camera moved around his audience, and I noticed that about 90% of those kids were giving him their undivided attention and soaking in each word. In fact, one of the “main characters” was later asked by a group of fellow inmates if he was going to play cards with them. His answer: “No, I’m gonna read my Bible.” Thank God for MTV! The Church in Northwest Indiana has just been alerted to an amazing opportunity to serve people in need.
It is extremely difficult for “church” or some Christian leader to gain access to the “world” of a troubled teenager. The opportunity exists because Lake County has gathered a bunch of them in one place. I hate using the word “should,” but it is necessary here… Churches should be beating the doors down, trying to get involved and serve at LCJC any way they can!
The tendency will be to want to preach at them. I think that’s the wrong way to go. They obviously already have their own Chaplain and are probably under certain legal obligations about “religious tolerance.” I can see kindness and practical service making great inroads, though. Instead of trying to jump right in with the “sinner’s prayer,” if churches would take on the long term goal of forging a relationship with the dedicated people at LCJC, great things will happen. In Romans 2:4, Paul asks the rhetorical question, “Is it not the kindness of God that leads to repentance?” One translation reads, “…leads to a radical life-change.” Isn’t that ultimately what we’re interested in? We want to see these kids have a radical life-change.I’m not sure if I’m actually writing to any of the spiritual leaders in Northwest Indiana here or not, but if so, here are a couple of my ideas:
Bring gifts for the LCJC staff: These are people that you can guarantee are under-paid, over-worked and under-appreciated. Find out how many people are working there at a given time and show up with a small gift basket for each person. Resist the urge to throw in propaganda from your church and just keep to a simple, “Thank you for doing what you do… every single day!” message.
Raise money to help in some practical way: If you can get in touch with a leader there, tell him that your church is raising money to help them with a special project they’d like to take on. They will not turn away your money! I noticed on last night’s episode that their basketball court could use a lot of work – maybe that’s an idea.
Here’s the key: It is not that they “need” a new basketball court! The basketball court is not the “end;” it’s the means. I know… they’re criminals. Why should they have a new basketball court? Simple: Because God’s love is extravagant and His grace is based on that lavish generosity, not whether we deserve His favor or not. Think about the statement a gesture of no-stings-attached generosity like this makes to the entire community…
There are so many more ideas… The bottom line is that churches in Northwest Indiana have a great opportunity to make an impact in this harvest field. Is it not God’s kindness that leads to a radical life change?
Capital “E” (Audio Podcast)
SE (Servant Evangelism) only works when we put both the "S" and the "E" together. On this installment, I talk specifically about the Evangelism aspect of SE. 2 Corinthians 6:1 says that we are partners with God in his message of kindness. In this podcast I talk about the two aspects of this verse and their importance to our role as Servant Evangelists.
Click on the orange text below, titled Capital E to download and listen through your computer’s audio software.
Breaking the Shell Part 1 (Audio Podcast)
This week I’m going a little deeper into the "How Tos" of breaking our shell and allowing Jesus to be Himself, living His life through us. Listen for 2 practical tips that can help put an immediate Outward Focus on your Christian life!
Click the link below, titled "Breaking the Shell," to listen through your computer’s media player.
How to Make an Omelette
"You can’t make an omelette without…" what? Breaking some eggs.
When you buy eggs, the first thing you do is open the lid and check each one for cracks and breaks. If that’s not what you do, I suggest you start. I used to work at a grocery store – trust me, check the eggs. Anyway, you pick a carton with 12 perfect shells and put it up in the top of your cart, in the little seat. You’ve got to be careful to keep those eggs away from the basket where all your jealous canned goods are just waiting for a chance to break some egg shells. You isolate those eggs for their own protection. You might cushion them a little bit by surrounding their fragile bodies by a few loaves of bread, but other than that, they dwell in solitude and safety. Then you get to the checkout line. You load up the conveyer belt with all your groceries but then leave a good 18 inch buffer zone between your last item and those 12 delicate eggs. With both hands, you gently place them on the checkout counter and then watch that pimple-faced bag boy like a hawk to make sure the eggs stay separate. Most of your stuff rattles around the back of the minivan until you get home, but the eggs, they ride in the passenger’s seat next to you. You’re so careful not to harm that so-easily-shattered egg shell.
But then, when you’re ready to actually make eggs, how do you treat that same fragile shell? You pull an egg from the carton; you whack it on the edge of the bowl or the frying pan, and you plunge your thumbs into, split the shell and dump the gooey insides into the heat. The shell doesn’t matter once you start to care more about what’s inside of it. It is now far more important to you that those eggs get spilled than that they stay protected.
I’m sure I’ve exaggerated the care you give your eggs, but I hope you see where I’m going with this. There is a Jesus who lives within us. The only thing that’s stopping Him from oozing out all over the people we meet is the shell – me and you. Our fears of rejection or our personal insecurities keep us from truly allowing Jesus to speak, reach and touch people. I remember my first attempt at "leading someone to the Lord." It was awkward for me and probably much more so for him. It was hard to be authentic because I was trying so hard to be "Christian." If you’ve ever attempted evangelism, you’ve probably felt that same social vertigo. The clumsiness, the weird silence, the death of all subsequent conversation.
Servant Evangelism is what it takes to break the shell. Believe me, just walking into a gas station with your toilet bowl brush in hand goes a long way to opening you up. That one, big step of willingness – humble service – opens us up and allows the Jesus that is within to come out and simply be Himself. Sometimes He’ll be content to wash feet, sometimes preach the Gospel, enrage the religious, intrigue the curious, heal the sick… raise the dead.
Isn’t it encouraging to learn that you don’t have to figure out how to "be Jesus" to the people around you? All you have to do is be willing to let Him be Himself, living His life through you.
